Composer: Christmas
Works: Hallelujah (Handel), Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach), Psallite (Praetorius), Ding Dong Merrily (Trad), Glory to God (Handel), Away in a Manger (Arr. Roger O’Neel), Carol of the Bells (Arr. P. Wilhousky), Gesu Bambino (Pietro Yon), Go Tell It On the Mountain (Arr. Rutter), Stille Nacht (Gruber), While Shepherds Watched (Arr. P. Christiansen), Mary Had a Baby (Arr. W. Dawson), Torches (Joubert), Panis Angelicus (Franck), Still Still Still (Arr. N. Luboff), Festival of Carols (Arr. Barker), Ave Maria (Gounod), Jesus Loves Me (Arr. R. Bennett), Fum Fum Fum (Trad. Spanish), Bakalalow (Arr. K. Sharry), This Little Babe (Britten), In the Bleak Midwinter (Arr. Mac Huff), Wassail Song (R. Vaughan Williams), The Twelve Days of Christmas (Arr. R. Bennett), We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Arr. R. Bennett)
Performers: The Paul Madore Chorale, Chamber Orchestra/Paul Madore
Recording: Recorded at Methuen Memorial Music Hall, St Anne’s Church, Salem, St Mary’s Church, Danvers, MA, USA
Label: ZC Records 7001
The holiday season often inspires a wealth of musical offerings, yet few manage to encapsulate the spirit of Christmas quite like the compilation presented by the Paul Madore Chorale, “Christmas in New England.” This collection, a mélange of traditional carols and classical works, seeks to evoke the warmth and joy of the season through a blend of sacred and secular pieces. The selection ranges from Handel’s exuberant “Hallelujah” to the tender simplicity of “Away in a Manger,” yet the execution reveals a struggle to balance the ambitions of this choral ensemble with the technical demands of the repertoire.
The opening “Hallelujah” Chorus sets an ambitious tone, but the performance feels overly muddled and lacks the clarity essential for such a jubilant work. One might expect a brighter, more distinct sound, yet the acoustics of the recording venues contribute to a congealed texture, reminiscent of large choral performances that often suffer from indistinctness. This is not merely an issue of venue; the ensemble’s coordination appears tenuous in “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring,” where the interplay between strings and voices falters, leading to an unsatisfying lack of synergy. The arrangements, particularly in the overly sentimental “Away in a Manger,” further dilute the musicality, with unwieldy quotations from “Stille Nacht” that detract from the essence of the original piece.
Technical execution is a consistent concern throughout the disc. Mi Ae Cho’s rendition of “Ave Maria” showcases her potential, yet she often sings below pitch, which compromises her otherwise lovely timbre. This technical flaw underscores a broader issue within the Chorale: the lack of uniformity in vocal production. The choirs of Britten and Rutter seem to fare better, where their arrangements allow for a lightness and energy that the more solemn pieces fail to achieve. The playful spirit of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” enhanced by Rutter’s delightful violin descant, contrasts sharply with the lugubrious “Gesu Bambino,” which teeters on the edge of being morose rather than reverential.
Recording quality also warrants scrutiny. The engineering choices seem to favor warmth over precision, leaving many of the performances feeling flat and lacking in dynamic range. While the ambiance of the Methuen Memorial Music Hall contributes a certain charm, it sometimes overwhelms the vocal lines, diminishing the clarity that is so vital in choral music. The sound engineering thus becomes an additional layer of challenge, as the richness of the arrangements is often lost in a haze of reverberation.
Despite its noble intentions, “Christmas in New England” does not fully deliver on its promise. The individual performances, while earnest, reveal a disjointedness that hinders the overall impact, leaving the listener yearning for a more cohesive interpretation. There are moments of charm, particularly in the arrangements by Bennett and Britten, but these are overshadowed by the technical shortcomings and muddled sound. This album may serve as a souvenir for devoted fans of the Paul Madore Chorale, yet it ultimately falls short of the standard expected from both its repertoire and its choral traditions.
